B5 chord (B power chord) on bass
B5 (B power chord) has two notes: B and F sharp. Its formula is 1, 5.
How to play B5 on bass
Low notes close together sound muddy, so bass players spread a chord out and leave notes out. Forms with a 3rd or 7th sound clear from about the E string's 8th fret up, so they start there; root and 5th stays low. These forms put the root on the E string; the same shapes work from the A string.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A.
Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A, 3 on D.
Hear it and see every shape in ScaleSpace →
| Symbol | B5 |
|---|---|
| Also written | B(no3) |
| Notes | B F# |
| Formula | 1 5 |
| Intervals | root, perfect fifth |
| Type | Power chord chord |
B5 across the neck
Bass · 4-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 2 F# (5), fret 7 B (1), fret 14 F# (5), fret 19 B (1).
- A string: fret 2 B (1), fret 9 F# (5), fret 14 B (1), fret 21 F# (5).
- D string: fret 4 F# (5), fret 9 B (1), fret 16 F# (5), fret 21 B (1).
- G string: fret 4 B (1), fret 11 F# (5), fret 16 B (1), fret 23 F# (5).
Swipe the chart sideways to see all of it.
Questions
What notes are in the B5 chord?
B5 (B power chord) has two notes: B and F sharp. Its formula is 1, 5. B is the root and F# is the perfect fifth.
How do you play B5 on bass?
Bass players spread it out rather than strum it. The simplest form is the root and 5th: 1 5, root on the E string, fret 7. Fingers: 1 on E, 3 on A.
Is B5 major or minor?
Neither. B5 is only the root and the 5th, B and F#, with no 3rd, so it fits under both B and Bm. That is why it sounds clean with distortion.